Taxi drivers: 'Everyone has to sacrifice'

MAXI and taxi drivers, like many other workers, will once again feel the pinch of the newly re-imposed restrictions to combat the community spread of covid19.

The Prime Minister on Saturday announced the limit for all taxi loads countrywide to half their capacity for the next month but it appears now many drivers are more than willing to share the burden and sacrifice for the interest of public health.

Newsday spoke with a number of drivers, who will, come Monday, may be required to work longer hours to earn the same living.

A man, who identified himself as Gonzales, plying the Petit Valley route from Port of Spain, said Saturday's announcement did not have a considerable enough impact on his duties for him to worry, just yet.

"All kinds of places are forced to close so that means less people at work, less traffic," said Gonzales, explaining there would be less time spent per trip, meaning less wasted gas and potentially more trips.

Among the restrictions reimposed were the halting of in-house dining at restaurants, the closure of bars and gyms. All contact sports have ceased, while casinos, gyms, places of worship, beaches, cinemas and all teaching institutions have closed.

Normal gatherings are now restricted to five people in an area at one time, while wedding and christening ceremonies are restricted to 10.

"It will not affect drivers as much as some of us make it out. I am more concerned about the people who can't work at all," he said, highlighting that most of his immediate family rely on the industries most affected, like food and beverage.

He said even since the first time the rules were implemented to restrict the number of passengers to half, he and his colleagues were fine it.

"I have a family and rent to pay so I can't stop what I have to do. I have to go on."

Gonzales said his biggest concern in that his colleagues driving taxi across the country do not enforce the rules themselves as they too.

"I not letting a soul in this Soul without a mask. We had enough warnings. I not playing with my family and passenger health," the driver said.

A driver in his 30s who works on the Curepe stand in Port of Spain said he may or may not follow the directives based on the demand for transport.

"I tired fill up when they tell us we could only carry half load. You have to feel the passengers. If they feel safe enough to travel and if they in a rush, they will go. It ain't make sense to do it when the roads quiet.

There have been concerns expressed about the increase in fares or "price gouging" as some commuters have put it, following the limitations imposed on drivers with the arrival of the covid19 pandemic earlier this year.

Drivers, who were interviewed, said they had no knowledge of fare increases nor did they intend to implement them.